SHE (bk 1)

TWENTY-EIGHT

"So Clementine where do you live?," Anne asks while putting a fork full of pancakes into her mouth, the question making Harry choke.

He had yet to tell his family that she was staying with him for the time being, mostly because of the reason behind her having to stay. It was a personal story that he didn't want to relay unless it was okay with Clementine herself.

But Clementine seems to keep her cool as she smiles gently, "I am actually staying with Harry at the moment...my place was broken into a week ago while I was in it so i'm having a hard time going back," she decides to give them at least half of the story and by the looks of it his family is shocked.

"Oh my gosh that is terrible...i'm glad my son here has the grace to at least invite you to stay with him," Robin smiles toward the blonde who agrees with a mere hum of her voice, Harry elbowing his step father with the roll of his eyes.

Harry calls out, "Don't act so surprised!"

The table bursts into an infectious laughter that had Clementine smiling warmly, they had a beautiful family dynamic that she was jealous of. The witty banter and the acceptance of his step father so easily was surprising, Robin even called Harry his son. Clementine wondered about Harry's real father while Gemma stared at her from across the table.

She had a lot of questions about the injuries she had seen on Clementine's body, but didn't want to be nosy. Well..fuck it.

"So how did you hurt your feet? During the break in?," Gemma immediately is rewarded with a glare from her Mother and verbal distaste from Harry.

Clementine smiles sadly none the less, "Uh yes actually, the guy broke my window so to get to a room to lock it I had to walk through the glass. I also had to get stitches on my leg because the glass flew forward and gave me a large knick," she explains and Anne frowns at the thought of the poor girl being all alone while this was happening.

"Did they catch the guy?," Robin asks with a polite smile, trying not to push his boundaries with the personal questions. Especially since Harry was now sitting cross armed, pouting like a child while this all took place.

Clementine nodded immediately, "Yeah they caught him but um he's being released in two days so it's not really comforting," she tells them and Gemma agrees with a hum.

"So how long did you date him?," she asks making Harry cry out in displeasure.

"Gem that is enough you guys are really starting to piss me off with all these-," he stops talking when Clementine rests a small hand on his.

She smiles at Gem who raises a brow, "You're very perceptive, we dated for two years but as you can tell he was very um...abrasive," she chooses to say and the whole table goes into an awkward silence as they realize the weight of this break in.

Gemma frowns as she realizes he was breaking in to hurt her, feeling her stomach turn at the thought. The small blonde was obviously not doing well by the whole situation, she could tell by the look growing on her face.

"Do you want to go to the club later?," Gem finally breaks the silence by tilting her head at Clementine, Harry opening his mouth to argue but Anne cut him off.

She claps her hands, "Yes! We can go shopping for a nice outfit while Robin and Harry go errand shopping for us," Clementine immediately smiles in happiness at the fact Harrys family seemed to like her.

Harry saw the smile growing on her lips and swallowed his complaints just wanting her to keep smiling. "Okay sounds good...you better not do anything stupid," he warns the two women who rolled their eyes collectively.

Harry had never had a girl that his family adored immediately, there was always some underlying concern. But it seemed with Clementine they accepted her with open arms, he couldn't blame them though. She had this kindness that made you want to stick around, and a smile that drew you further in. She was incredible.

"Ill have to wear nurses shoes to the club with my feet being so gross," Clementine joked making Gemma spit out her orange juice, a giggle pushing up the blondes throat as she wiped some drops off her face.

"Jesus Gem controls yourself," Harry gagged as he handed Clementine a napkin, her smile never faltering as she wiped her face. "Call me if they are being too much for you I'll be there in a flash to get you," he promises and she smiles wryly.

"I think I'll be just fine."

——-

"Maybe if you wear a pair of keds or converse? Definitely no heals for you," Anne hands Clementine another pair of white keds and she puts them on her bandaged feet slowly.

Standing up she winces but gives them a small smile, "Maybe with some insoles and thick socks this will do?," she questions and Gemma laughs while nodding. She really liked Clementine.

"Yeah, now we just need to find you an outfit to wear...it's gotta' be sexy but simple since you're wearing such casual shoes," she rubs her chin and goes into a deep thought.

Clementine looked through the racks of the expensive store they walked into, "I don't think I can afford anything in here," she whispers to Gemma while avoiding looking at Harrys mother. She didn't want them to think lowly of her because she didn't have a lot of money like Harry did.

Gemma smirked and reached into her purse, "Oh honey Harry gave me his card to put all our stuff on," Clementine immediately felt her cheeks burst into flames as she shook her head.

"Oh no I couldn't do that...I don't want to spend his money on me," she refuses as she puts a pair of jeans back on the rack. Anne smiles sneakily as she thanks God for the reaction she was hoping for.

A lot of the girls they met were dying to spend Harrys money but this girl was different, not wanting to mooch off of him.

"He wants you to spend his money Clementine, he told me to tackle you if you try to use your own card," Gemma laughs and Clementine gives her a shy smile. Sounds like something Harry would say.

Gemma smirks as she looks at the girl blushing, she was going to play cupid during her month here. Looking up she could see her mother wearing a similar glance, nodding to each other as they acknowledged they would need to come up with a plan.

The devil works hard but the Styles' women work harder.